The school building was mostly empty at this point. Aside from those who were involved in sports practices, and those who wanted to watch them practice, there was no one else around the school.

"Why did you want us to walk anyway?" Alice finally asked as they made their way down the stairs and Damian glanced back with his eyes alone, not daring to turn his head and show he was interested in their conversation.

"It’s a form of exercise." He said. "It’ll help you relax more. And then when we get home, your body feels stretched when you lie down in bed."

"So you’re saying it’s for my good?" Alice asked him with raised eyebrows and he shrugged.

"Take it however you want." He said.

"Brother," Damian called, and Devon, who had also been listening in on their conversation but acting otherwise, turned to face his brother. "Do they live together?"

"Yes, they do." Devon answered and slowly lowered his head. ’And I’m afraid they sleep on the same bed too.’

Familiar or not, Leo was a full-grown guy, so thinking of Alice in bed with him, snuggling and in each other’s arms, made his heart burn with fickle flames. It was jealousy.

"Oh, look over there," Alice said, pointing at the field. "They’re playing ball."

Leo looked at her for a while, not saying a word but watched her eyes faintly sparkle.

"Do you like sports?" Damian asked her but she shook her head.

"No, not really. It’s tiring." She answered but did not tear her gaze away from the field of boys running around playing soccer.

Leo could tell she was intrigued by it but could not sort it thereafter.

Whether she was intrigued because she always wanted to play or if she was intrigued by its concept alone, he could not tell.

Well... He dropped his hand on her hair and ruffled her hair.

"Hey, what’s the big idea?" She roared at him, furious that he would mess her hair up but he simply smiled and let out a soft sigh.

In the end, she was still a human, scarred or not.

He dropped his hand on her head, dropping his arm weight on her and stopping her from taking action. It was hilarious to look at and one could tell they had a close relationship.

Alice’s frantic attempt to reach for his head and Leo’s effortless display of strength kept her far from his head and kept her in her place with just his hand resting on her head.

He was basically calling her a shorty in different languages when she wasn’t even that short and he wasn’t that much taller either.

Damian watched through the corner of his eyes and wondered,

’I wonder if I can be close to Alice like that one day. She’s very... Nice.’ he thought, clutching his fingers together nervously. He wanted to be close to her but he doubted he dared to even take a step.

So, maybe she would be the one to take that step, he wondered.

But why would she anyway? The only reason she was sticking next to him was at the request of his brother and that she had a big heart. If not... He knew he would never have been able to catch her attention and make her draw near to him.

There was nothing special about him, whereas, she was very brilliant all over.

"We’ll take a cab from here." Leo suddenly said as they got to Devon’s car and Devon turned around, shocked.

"Why would you?" He asked. "I’ll take you home so you don’t need to worry about finding a cab."

His voice was etched with eagerness and enthusiasm. He was worried that Alice wouldn’t see his sincerity in his offer to take her home but the person who he needed to convince was not Alice, but Leo.

What was he planning?

Even Alice did not know what had come over him.

"Yeah, Leo, why would we?" She asked him and he turned to her.

"Well, it’s the experience, of course." He said and she tilted her head, confused. "Besides, we know the way back. We shouldn’t bother Devon to drive us home and then back to his own house."

"But I don’t mind." Devon exclaimed and then sighed, seeing his emotions were a bit spiked. "I know you’re trying to be considerate but it’s not a big deal, really. I can take her home even if it’s 50 kilometers away from here and then drive back home."

Leo went silent. He stared at Devon’s calm yet eager expression. Yeah, that was a guy in love, alright.

Alice told him that he could do whatever he desired, so maybe he decided to hold back a bit, even if he was well aware that he was in love. He did not want it to show yet, so long as Alice was around.

He was eager to do anything for Alice if it meant he could spend even a few more minutes with her. Even seconds

But it was that very eagerness that may as well become his downfall and Alice’s burden.

’I’m not saying I want to interfere with their love pursuit, but...’ he glanced at Alice. ’I’m just worried that they’ll start becoming bolder and Alice will get stuck in a dilemma. Should I just leave it be then?’ He closed his eyes. ’Maybe I’m just overthinking, but I’m getting a bad hunch, and I don’t know where it’s coming from, so that’s why I’m being thorough right now.’

’What sort of dilemma would I fall into?’ Alice asked him and his eyes shot open. He looked down at her to see her staring at him.

Ah, he forgot their minds were still linked, and since he was suddenly saying something strange and staying quiet, she would listen to his thoughts, of course.

*Did you... Hear the first part?* He asked.

’Which of it? The part that you don’t want to interfere in their love pursuit or that they’ll become bolder?’

*So, you were listening the whole time.* He sighed.

Alice folded her arms, turned to Devon, and reached for his hands.

"Devon," She called. "Just this time," she said and Devon looked at their hands. He did not wear his gloves so he could feel her warmth directly. "Let’s part ways here. Tomorrow, and the day after that," she smiled. "You can drive me home. Is that okay, Devon?"

Devon found himself bidding. How could he say no when she was asking so nicely and so close to his face, too?

His ears flushed.

"Ah, al-alright."

Damian’s eyes widened and he watched, from their hands, to the expressions on their faces. Ah, the expression on his brother’s face in particular. It was so... Light.

He had never seen that sort of expression on his face before.

No, actually, he had.

Whenever he talked about Alice, he would have that warm relaxing expression on his face. And he couldn’t forget the flush at the corner of his left cheek from time to time and that look in his eyes.

He always knew his brother as a warm and affectionate person but when he talked about Alice, he was especially warm.

His brother... Did his brother have feelings for Alice?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com